U.S. patent application number 11/682271 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-13 for electronic device assembly with clips for mounting a heat sink thereon.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to DONG-YUN LI.
Application Number | 20080062653 11/682271 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39169412 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080062653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LI; DONG-YUN |
March 13, 2008 |
ELECTRONIC DEVICE ASSEMBLY WITH CLIPS FOR MOUNTING A HEAT SINK
THEREON
Abstract
An electronic device assembly includes a PCB (10), a heat sink
(30) mounted on the PCB, a back plate (20) attached below the PCB,
a fan holder (40) mounted on a top of the heat sink and a fan
mounted on the fan holder. The fan holder has a plurality of
sleeves (46). A plurality of clips (50) is assembled on the fan
holder. Each clip includes a locking column (52) received in a
corresponding sleeve of the fan holder, a shank (56) extending
through the column, a spring (54) mounted around the column and
sandwiched between a top of the column and a bottom of the shank,
and an operating member (58) pivotably connected to the shank. The
back plate forms a plurality of studs snappingly engaging with the
locking columns to securely mount the heat sink on the PCB.
Inventors: |
LI; DONG-YUN; (Shenzhen,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. CHENG-JU CHIANG JEFFREY T. KNAPP
458 E. LAMBERT ROAD
FULLERTON
CA
92835
US
|
Assignee: |
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Tu-Cheng,Taipei Hsien
TW
|
Family ID: |
39169412 |
Appl. No.: |
11/682271 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/719 ;
257/E23.086; 257/E23.099 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/4093 20130101;
H01L 23/467 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; H01L 2924/0002
20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/719 |
International
Class: |
H05K 7/20 20060101
H05K007/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 8, 2006 |
CN |
200610062512.6 |
Claims
1. A clip adapted for attaching a heat sink to a board, comprising:
a hollow locking column having a pedestal at a top thereof; a shank
extending through the locking column; a spring mounted around the
locking column and located between the pedestal of the locking
column and a bottom of the shank; and an operating member mounted
on the pedestal of the locking column and pivotably buckled with a
top of the shank and movable between locked and unlocked position;
wherein when the operating member operates from the unlocked
position to the locked position, the shank moves upwardly a
distance relative to the locking column and the spring provides an
upwardly force to the locking column.
2. The clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shank comprises a
catch formed on the top thereof buckled with the operating member
and a bar formed on the bottom thereof, and the spring is
compressed between the pedestal of the column and the bar of the
shank.
3. The clip as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking column
comprises a shaft extending downwardly from the pedestal thereof,
and the shaft has a vertical axis, and the operating member is
capable of rotating about the axis of the shaft.
4. The clip as claimed in claim 3, wherein a slot is defined
through the pedestal and the shaft of the column for providing a
passage of the shank, and the shaft is bifurcated at a lower
portion thereof in a manner such that a pair of spaced and
symmetrical locking arms are formed, and a channel is defined
between the locking arms.
5. The clip as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the operating
member is positioned at the locked position, the bar of the shank
abuts against the shaft at a top of the channel.
6. An electronic device assembly comprising: a printed circuit
board having a heat-generating electronic component mounted
thereon; a heat sink mounted on the heat-generating electronic
component and comprising a base and a plurality of fins arranged on
the base; a fan holder having a flat body mounted on a top of the
heat sink and a plurality of sleeves extending downwardly from the
body, each of the sleeves defining a vertical axis; a fan mounted
on the fan holder; a plurality of clips corresponding to the
sleeves and capable of being rotated about the vertical axes of the
sleeves, each comprising a locking column received in a
corresponding sleeve of the fan holder, a shank extending through
the locking column, a spring mounted around the locking column and
sandwiched between a top of the locking column and a bottom of the
shank, and an operating member pivotably connected to the shank and
located above the body of the fan holder and movable between
unlocked and locked positions; and a back plate mounted below the
printed circuit board, the back plate having a stud thereon
engaging with a bottom portion of the locking column; wherein when
the operating member of each of the clips operates from the
unlocked position to the locked position, the shank of each of the
clips moves upwardly a distance relative to the sleeve of the fan
holder and the spring of the each of the clips is compressed to
provide an upwardly force to the locking column.
7. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a
plane pedestal is formed on the top of the locking column, and a
bar is formed on the bottom of the shank, and the spring is
sandwiched between the pedestal of the locking column and the bar
of the shank.
8. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein
the shank comprises a catch formed on the top thereof buckled with
the operating member.
9. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein
the locking column comprises a shaft extending downwardly from the
pedestal, and a slot is defined through the pedestal and the shaft
to provide a passage of the shank.
10. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the shaft is bifurcated at a lower portion thereof in a manner such
that a pair of spaced and symmetrical locking arms are formed, and
a channel is defined between the locking arms, and the bar of the
shank abuts against the shaft at a top of the channel.
11. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein
an extending length of the bar is larger than an outer meter of the
shaft.
12. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein
each of the locking arms defines a groove therein, the stud of the
back plate is engaged in the groove.
13. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein
the operating member comprises a plane handle and a pair of spaced
engaging bodies extending perpendicularly from two opposite lateral
sides of the handle, and a pivot is mounted between the two
engaging bodies for engaging with the top of the shank.
14. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein
when the operating member is positioned in the locked position, the
handle is parallel to the flat body of the fan holder, while the
operating member is positioned in the unlocked position, the handle
is perpendicular to the flat body of the fan holder.
15. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein
a pair of sidewalls extend vertically and downwardly from two
opposite sides of the flat body of the fan holder for engaging with
two outmost fins of the heat sink, and the handle of the operating
member is perpendicular to the flat body of the fan holder and
rotated 90 degrees about the vertical axis of the sleeve when the
stud of the back plate engages with the bottom portion of the
locking column.
16. The electronic device assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a
mounting plate extends horizontally from a central portion of each
side of the flat body of the fan holder for supporting the fan
mounted thereon.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic device
assembly, and particularly to an electronic device with clips for
attachment of a heat sink.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] It is well known that, during operation, computer electronic
devices such as central processing units (CPUs) can generate large
amounts of heat. The heat must be removed from the electronic
device to prevent it from becoming unstable or being damaged.
Typically, a heat sink is attached to an outer surface of the
electronic device to absorb heat from the electronic device, and
the heat absorbed by the heat sink is then dissipated into the
ambient air.
[0005] In order to improve the efficiency of a heat sink a fan is
used to force air through the heat sink. Usually, the fan comprises
a frame having upper and lower retaining flanges extending outwards
from two opposite ends of each corner thereof, and is mounted to
the heat sink via a fan holder. Conventionally, the heat sink
mainly comprises a heat-conducting base for contacting a heat
generating electronic device and a plurality of heat dissipating
fins extending from a top surface of the base. Typically, the fan
is secured on the fan holder by a plurality of elongated screws,
which each has a head and a shaft extending axially from the head.
The fan defines a fixing hole in a retaining flange corresponding
to the screw. To attach the fan to the heat sink, the shafts of
screws extend through the fixing holes of the fan to engage with
the fan holder, whilst the heads of the screws rest on the upper
retaining flanges. In this way, the fan is firmly sandwiched
between the heads of the screws and the fan holder. U.S. Pat. No.
6,654,246 shows an example of a heat sink attached with a fan which
is secured to the heat sink through a fan holder and a plurality of
elongated screws in a manner as mentioned above. However, assembly
and disassembly of the heat sink and the fan is awkward and time
consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An electronic device assembly in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention comprises a printed circuit
board (PCB), a heat sink mounted on the PCB, a back plate attached
below the PCB, a fan holder mounted on a top of the heat sink and a
fan mounted on the fan holder. The fan holder has a plurality of
sleeves. A plurality of clips is assembled on the fan holder. Each
of the clips includes a locking column received in a corresponding
sleeve of the fan holder, a shank extending through the column, a
spring mounted around the column and sandwiched between a top of
the column and a bottom of the shank, and an operating member
pivotably connected to the shank. The back plate forms a plurality
of studs engaging with the locking columns. When the operating
members are rotated from a vertical orientation to a horizontal
orientation, the shanks are lifted a distance to compress the
springs, whereby the locking columns and accordingly the studs are
moved upwardly, and the heat sink, the back plate and the printed
circuit board are securely connected together.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Many aspects of the present device can be better understood
with reference to the following drawings. The components in the
drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead
being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the
present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals
designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an electronic
device assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of a clip from FIG. 1,
wherein an operating member of the clip has a part being removed to
clearly show an inner structure thereof;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a preassembled view of FIG. 1, wherein a fan
holder of the electronic device assembly has a part being removed
to clearly show an inner structure thereof;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an assembled and cross-sectional view taken along
line IV-IV of FIG. 3 with the clip in an opened position;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 3, wherein the operating
member of the clip is rotated 90 degrees in the opened
position;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 with the clip in a
closed position;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of
FIG. 6; and
[0015] FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, wherein the fan holder
and the clip have parts being removed to clearly show an inner
structure thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an electronic device
assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The electronic device assembly comprises a printed
circuit board 10 having an electronic component, such as a CPU 12
mounted thereon, a heat dissipation device 100 (labeled in FIG. 3)
mounted on the printed circuit board 10 to dissipate heat generated
by the CPU 12 and a back plate 20 mounted below the printed circuit
board 10.
[0017] The heat dissipation device 100 comprises a heat sink 30, a
fan 60, a fan holder 40 for mounting the fan 60 on the heat sink
30, four clips 50 (see FIG. 2 for further details) cooperating with
the fan holder 40 and the back plate 20 for securing the heat sink
30 on the CPU 12.
[0018] The heat sink 30 is made from a good heat conductive
material, such as aluminum, and comprises a base 32 and a plurality
of parallel fins 34, 36 perpendicularly and upwardly extending from
the base 32. The base 32 has a bottom face for contacting the CPU
12. The fins 36 are of shorter length than the fins 34 and are
located at central portions of opposite lateral sides of the fins
34 such that four receiving spaces 320 are formed at four corners
of the heat sink 30. Two opposite outmost fins 36 each define a
pair of threaded holes 360 therein for providing passages of screws
(not shown) to mount the fan holder 40 on the heat sink 30.
[0019] The fan holder 40 comprises a square flat body 42 and a pair
of sidewalls 44 extending vertically and downwardly from two
opposite lateral sides of the body 42. The two sidewalls 44 are
used for engaging with the two outmost fins 36. Four screws (not
shown) extend through the sidewalls 44 and the two outmost fins 36
to be engaged in the threaded holes 360 of the outmost fins 36 to
mount the fan holder 40 on the heat sink 30. An opening 420 is
defined at a center of the body 42 for providing a passage of an
airflow generated by the fan 60 in such a manner that four corners
422 are formed and surround the opening 420. A triangular mounting
plate 47 extends horizontally from a central portion of each side
of the body 42. A threaded hole 470 is defined in each mounting
plate 47 for providing a passage of a corresponding screw (not
shown) to mount the fan 60 onto the fan holder 40. A hollow
cylindrical sleeve 46 extends downwardly from a bottom surface of
each corner 422 and is received in the corresponding receiving
space 320 of the heat sink 30 and provides a passage of the
corresponding clip 50. A through hole 424 is defined in each corner
422 of the body 42 and communicates with the sleeve 46. The through
hole 424 has an inner diameter smaller than that of the sleeve
46.
[0020] Referring also to FIG. 2, each clip 50 comprises a locking
column 52 received in the sleeve 46 of the fan holder 40, a spring
54 loosely fitting around the locking column 52, a shank 56
extending through the locking column 52 and an operating member 58
located above the body 42 of the fan holder 40 and pivotably
connected with a top of the shank 56.
[0021] The locking column 52 has a circular pedestal 520 at a top
thereof and a cylindrical shaft 530 extending downwardly from the
pedestal 520. The pedestal 520 has an outer diameter smaller than
the inner diameter of the sleeve 46 of the fan holder 40 and larger
than the inner diameter of the through hole 424 defined in the body
42 of the fan holder 40 in a manner such that the locking column 52
is capable of being received in the sleeve 46 of the fan holder 40.
The shaft 530 of the locking column 52 is bifurcated at a lower
portion thereof in a manner such that a pair of spaced and
symmetrical locking arms 532 are formed. A channel 534 is defined
between the locking arms 532 and located at a central portion of
the shaft 530. Each locking arm 532 defines a groove 5320 therein
adjacent to a bottom thereof. A rectangular slot 5202 is defined
through the pedestal 520 and the shaft 530. The rectangular slot
5202 terminates at the channel 534.
[0022] The shank 56 is an elongated flat plate and used to extend
through the slot 5202 of the locking column 52. A catch 560 is
formed at the top of the shank 56 for engaging with the operating
member 58 of the clip 50. A bar 562 is formed on a bottom of the
shank 56 for supporting the spring 54 thereon. The bar 562 extends
horizontally and orients to the channel 534 of the locking column
52. An extending length of the bar 562 is larger than an outer
diameter of the shaft 530 of the locking column 52 in a manner such
that the shank 56 extends through the slot 5202 of the locking
column 52 along a bottom-to-top direction until the bar 562 abuts
against the shaft 530 at the channel 534.
[0023] The operating member 58 comprises a plane handle 580 and a
pair of spaced engaging bodies 582 extending perpendicularly from
two opposite lateral sides of the handle 580. A pivot 581 is
adjacent to an end of the engaging bodies 582 and mounted between
the two engaging bodies 582 for engaging with the catch 560 of the
shank 56. A retaining face 5820 is formed at an outer face of each
engaging body 582. A perpendicular distance between the retaining
face 5820 and the pivot 581 is not equal to but larger than that
between a bottom surface of the engaging body 582 and the pivot
581.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1 again, the fan 60 has lower and upper
flanges 62, 64 extending outwards and horizontally at each corner
thereof. The lower flanges 62 define mounting holes 620 therein.
The mounting holes 620 of the fan 60 are oriented to be in
alignment with the threaded holes 470 of the mounting plate 47 of
the fan holder 40 when the fan 60 is brought to be mounted to the
fan holder 40 on the heat sink 30.
[0025] The back plate 20 is attached below the printed circuit
board 10, for supporting the printed circuit board 10. The back
plate 20 comprises a square base 22 defining an opening (not
labeled) therein and four legs 24 extending horizontally from four
corners of the base 22. A pole 26 is formed upwardly at a free end
of each leg 24 for extending through a corresponding hole 102
defined in the printed circuit board 10. A T-shaped stud (not
labeled) is formed on each pole 26. The T-shaped stud comprises a
stop portion 28 at a top thereof for engaging with the locking arm
532 of the locking column 52 and an elongated guiding portion 27
extending downwardly from the stop portion 28.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in assembly of the fan holder 40 and
the clips 50, each spring 54 is mounted around the corresponding
shaft 530 of the corresponding locking column 52. The shank 56 is
brought to extend through the slot 5202 of the locking column 52
and the catch 560 of the shank 56 is exposed out of the pedestal
520 of the locking column 52 in such a manner that the spring 54 is
compressed between the pedestal 520 of the locking column 52 and
the bar 562 of the shank 56; simultaneously, the bar 562 is
received in the channel 534 of the locking column 52. A combination
of the locking column 52 and the shank 56 is brought to extend
through the corresponding sleeve 46. The catch 560 is exposed from
the through hole 424 of the body 42 of the fan holder 40 to clasp
the pivot 581 of the operating member 58. Thus, the clips 50 and
the fan holder 40 are assembled together.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 3-4, in an assembly of the electronic
device, the back plate 20 is attached below the printed circuit
board 10 with the pole 26 extending through the hole 102 of the
printed circuit board 10 and the T-shaped stud of the back plate 20
is exposed out of the hole 102. After the heat dissipation device
100 is assembled, the heat dissipation device 100 is mounted on the
printed circuit board 10 and the bottom surface of the heat sink 30
contacts with the CPU 12 mounted on the printed circuit board 10;
simultaneously, the T-shaped stud of the back plate 20 is brought
to extend through the channel 534 of the locking column 52 and in
alignment with the groove 5320 of the locking arm 532 of the
locking column 52. In this original position, the operating member
58 is positioned in an opened position. The handle 580 of the
operating member 58 is upright and parallel to the sidewall 44 of
the fan holder 40, and there is a distance D1 between the pivot 581
and a top surface of the fan holder 40. The retaining face 5820 of
the operating member 58 is perpendicular to the top surface of the
fan holder 40.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the operating member 58 is
rotated about 90 degrees about a vertical axis of the sleeve 46 of
the fan holder 40. The shank 56 and the locking column 52 are
driven to be rotated about the vertical axis of the sleeve 46 in a
manner such that the stop portion 28 of the back plate 20 is
engaged in the groove 5320 of the locking arm 532 of the locking
column 52. In this position, the handle 580 of the operating member
58 is still perpendicular to the top surface of the fan holder
40.
[0029] Particularly referring to FIGS. 6-8, the handle 580 of the
operating member 58 is pressed from the opened position to the
closed position. In this closed position, the handle 580 is
parallel to the top surface of the fan holder 40 and the retaining
face 5820 of the engaging body 582 contacts with the top surface of
the fan holder 40, and there is a distance D2 between the pivot 581
of the operating member 58 and the top surface of the fan holder
40. Due to the distance D2 being larger than the distance D1, the
shank 56 is raised a distance relative to the sleeve 46 of the fan
holder 40, wherein the distance is substantially equal to the
difference between the distance D2 and D1. In this position, the
bar 562 of the shank 56 abuts against the shaft 530 at a top of the
channel 534 of the locking column 52; simultaneously, the locking
column 52 is lifted a slight distance along the guiding portion 27
of the T-shaped stud of the back plate 20 in a manner such that the
locking column 52 snappingly engages with the stop portion 28 of
the back plate 20, and the spring 54 is pushed upwardly by the
shank 56, whereby the spring 54 is compressed to provide an upward
spring force to the locking column 52. Thus, the heat sink 30 is
securely and firmly mounted to the printed circuit board 10.
Disassembly is simply the reverse of assembly.
[0030] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *